People

Lei Yu, Ph.D., is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Genetics and Human Genetics Institute, and leads the neuropharmacogenetics lab at the Center of Alcohol & Substance Use Studies at Rutgers University.  He earned his Ph.D. in Biology from California Institute of Technology in 1987.  From 1988 to 1997, he taught at Indiana University School of Medicine.  From 1997 to 2005, he taught at University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.  Since 2005, he has been teaching and conducting biomedical research at Rutgers University. https://genetics.rutgers.edu/cb-profile/leiyu8

• Rodent models of alcohol drinking, and influence by social environment and gender
• Human genetic variations that impact alcohol drinking, drug use, and other compulsive behaviors
• Brain-expressed genes associated with alcohol preference and relapse
• Physiological analysis of spinal cord neuro-sensory systems in nerve pain
• Rodent models of analgesia with genetic and pharmacological therapeutics
• Cell and rodent models to identify protein networks underlying nerve pain and alcoholism
• Rodent models to identify potential drugs for treating nerve pain and alcoholism
• Computational analysis of genetic impact in longitudinal alcoholism studies
• Genetic and computational analysis of diabetic neuropathy and inflammation-mediated chronic pain

Sachdeo BLY, Yu L, Giunta GM, Bello NT (2019) Binge-like eating is not influenced by the murine model of OPRM1 A118G polymorphism. Frontiers Psychol. 10:246. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00246

Zeng L, Tao Y, Hou W, Zong L, Yu L (2018) Electro-acupuncture improves psychiatric symptoms, anxiety and depression in methamphetamine addicts during abstinence: A randomized controlled trial. Medicine 97(34):e11905.

Lax NC, Chen R, Leep SR, Uhrich KE, Yu L, Kolber BJ (2017) PolyMorphine provides extended analgesic-like effects in mice with spared nerve injury. Mol. Pain 13:1-12.

Zou H, Liu M, Luan Y, Xie Q, Cheng Z, Zhao G, Jin M, Guo N, Jin GJ, Yu L (2017) Pattern of novel object exploration in cynomolgus monkey Macaca fascicularis. J. Med. Primatol. 46:19-24.

Tomie A, Samuel AG, Merchant A, Yu L (2016) The effects of proximal and distal social stimulation on ethanol intake in male and female CD-1 mice. J. Drug Alcohol Res. 5, doi:10.4303/jdar/235949.

Tomie A, Samuel AG, Sprung DM, Malul Y, Yu L (2015) Effects of number of cagemates on home-cage ethanol drinking during proximal cagemate drinking (PCD) procedures in male and female CD-1 mice. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 57:1-10.

Research Interest: Genetic predisposition to alcoholism, drug abuse, and other compulsive behaviors in human; Genetic factors influencing alcohol drinking in rodent models; Behavioral patterns of alcohol preference and social environment in rodent models; Molecular mechanisms of neuro-sensory processes, including pain, stress, and analgesia